1
a
: a firm upright support for a superstructure : post entry 1
b
: a usually ornamental column or shaft
especially
: one standing alone for a monument
2
a
: a supporting, integral, or upstanding member or part
a pillar of society
b
: a fundamental precept
the five pillars of Islam
3
: a solid mass of coal, rock, or ore left standing to support a mine roof
4
: a body part that resembles a column
pillarless
adjective
Examples of pillar in a Sentence
Noun
the ancient Greek temple boasted graceful marble pillars with richly ornamented tops
my father has been my pillar throughout this crisis
Recent Examples on the Web
TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
The remarks were at an official event, but came as Biden makes cracking down on corporate greed and relieving financial burdens for American families a key pillar of his 2024 reelection campaign.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2024
This process, along with LOOP’s commitment to customer care, a fundamental pillar in the business model, gives them an advantage in acquisitions.
—Pauleanna Reid, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The cargo ship struck a pillar supporting the bridge early Tuesday after losing power.
—Bradford Betz, Fox News, 29 Mar. 2024
However, the expert said clearing the 1,200-foot area between the two pillars that supported the bridge’s main span will be enough to reopen the port to traffic.
—Chris Isidore, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
The devastation at the site of the collapse, which happened when the powerless cargo ship struck a pillar supporting the bridge early Tuesday, is extensive.
—Lea Skene, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
Near the port of Houston in Texas, all three major local bridges have support legs and pillars with substantial bumpers that offer the bridge protection from a collision.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Mar. 2024
About 30 seconds later, the ship plowed into one of the bridge’s support pillars, sending portions of mangled metal into the 50-foot-deep Patapsco River below.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Saskia Solomon, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2023
Just one practical example of that purpose in action concerns pillars 3 and 4, and Monin’s 15-year quest to help avoid colony collapse among the US bee population.
—Simon Mainwaring, Forbes, 17 July 2023
The light frayed, ghostly pillars shifting, the voice of God made visible.
—Hazlitt, 7 June 2023
Some of this light comes back toward the metalens, which is pointed, pillars out, toward the scene.
—IEEE Spectrum, 21 May 2023
You’re allowed to have Facebook pages that pillar the leaders and.
—Laura Johnston, cleveland, 23 Jan. 2023
The tall windows, pillared facade, rooftop balustrade, and 90-foot-high rotunda of the main building give it the look of a chateau.
—Adam Hochschild, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2019
The recovery initiative is pillared by a breeding program and habitat safeguards.
—Helena Amante, Smithsonian, 8 Oct. 2019
The team started working on the research which initially began in 2014 with the Staghorn coral, but then the focus shifted to pillar coral because of a disease that has been devastating to the Florida Reef Tract.
—Lauren M. Johnson, CNN, 21 Aug. 2019
Noun
The free press is a pillar of democratic societies, but even here the nocebo phenomenon raises interesting novel concerns.
—TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
The remarks were at an official event, but came as Biden makes cracking down on corporate greed and relieving financial burdens for American families a key pillar of his 2024 reelection campaign.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2024
This process, along with LOOP’s commitment to customer care, a fundamental pillar in the business model, gives them an advantage in acquisitions.
—Pauleanna Reid, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The cargo ship struck a pillar supporting the bridge early Tuesday after losing power.
—Bradford Betz, Fox News, 29 Mar. 2024
However, the expert said clearing the 1,200-foot area between the two pillars that supported the bridge’s main span will be enough to reopen the port to traffic.
—Chris Isidore, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
The devastation at the site of the collapse, which happened when the powerless cargo ship struck a pillar supporting the bridge early Tuesday, is extensive.
—Lea Skene, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
Near the port of Houston in Texas, all three major local bridges have support legs and pillars with substantial bumpers that offer the bridge protection from a collision.
—Troy Aidan Sambajon, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Mar. 2024
About 30 seconds later, the ship plowed into one of the bridge’s support pillars, sending portions of mangled metal into the 50-foot-deep Patapsco River below.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Verb
Growing up on this hilltop surrounded by vineyards, the siblings began work early and wore wooden shoes, saving handmade slippers for Mass.
Though money was often scarce, the family had as pillars their deeply religious parents: Teresa, who didn’t work outside the home, and Giovanni, a carpenter.
—Saskia Solomon, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2023
Just one practical example of that purpose in action concerns pillars 3 and 4, and Monin’s 15-year quest to help avoid colony collapse among the US bee population.
—Simon Mainwaring, Forbes, 17 July 2023
The light frayed, ghostly pillars shifting, the voice of God made visible.
—Hazlitt, 7 June 2023
Some of this light comes back toward the metalens, which is pointed, pillars out, toward the scene.
—IEEE Spectrum, 21 May 2023
You’re allowed to have Facebook pages that pillar the leaders and.
—Laura Johnston, cleveland, 23 Jan. 2023
The tall windows, pillared facade, rooftop balustrade, and 90-foot-high rotunda of the main building give it the look of a chateau.
—Adam Hochschild, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2019
The recovery initiative is pillared by a breeding program and habitat safeguards.
—Helena Amante, Smithsonian, 8 Oct. 2019
The team started working on the research which initially began in 2014 with the Staghorn coral, but then the focus shifted to pillar coral because of a disease that has been devastating to the Florida Reef Tract.
—Lauren M. Johnson, CNN, 21 Aug. 2019
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pillar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing pillar
Dictionary Entries Near pillar
Cite this Entry
“Pillar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pillar. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
pillar
1 of 2 noun
pil·lar
ˈpil-ər 
1
: a firm upright support (as for a roof)
2
: a column or shaft standing alone (as for a monument)
3
: a supporting or important member or part
a pillar of society
pillar
2 of 2 verb
: to provide or support with or as if with pillars
a long pillared hall
Medical Definition
pillar
noun
pil·lar
ˈpil-ər
: a body part likened to a pillar or column (as the margin of the external inguinal ring)
specifically
: pillar of the fauces
More from Merriam-Webster on pillar
Nglish: Translation of pillar for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of pillar for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pillar
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